Well, we are back to work hard!
Let's have fun, talk, laugh, play and study English! ;)
People, if you have any doubts about the subject (grammar, pronunciation, writing, reading) tell me, ok?!
I'll always be here to help you. Bear it in your minds, even though you're not my students anymore.
Oh, don't forget that you have some exercises to be done. However, if you have doubts, send me an e-mail or a scrap (orkut).
E-mail: victormazzoleni@hotmail.com
Orkut: Victor Gil
Welcome to MY CLASS and have a nice week.
See you ;)
8/29/2009
Dictionary Online
Dictionary
**DICTIONARY ONLINE**It's full of vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and examples. The link is presented below:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
See you!
4A - Speech
SPEECH ---4A---
Suggestion of Speech themes (4A)
Films
Soap operas
The origin of Internet
Euthanasia
Healthy food
Countries - English as an official language
Countries - English as a second language
Culture
Religion(s)
Environment
Hormones
A topic from History studies
Bestsellers - why a book becomes a best seller
The importance of sound tracks
TV Series
(Famous) Person’s biography
Extra Terrestrial (E.T.)
Vampires
Kissing X dating
The media’s advances
The development of technology
How to mend a broken heart
Horoscope
Science
The power of cartoons
How to improve your self-esteem
Violence
1st and/or 2nd World Wars
A career
Means of communication
Global Warming
Special dates
The problems of surgery
Barriers of knowledge
The new American president
P.S.: If you want, you can create themes, but tell me before.
*Others:
The difference
*** Dates:
10/23/2009 (Friday)
10/24/2009 (Saturday)
** If you have more suggestions, tell me during the class.
** Recommendations:
A) When choosing a theme, you must be creative. It’s a criterion of evaluation.
B) You must never read! It’s spontaneous, but you can study and/or memorize it at home!
C) Respect your classmates’ presentation. Do not talk or laugh during it.
D) Make up (at least) 3 questions to check the students’ comprehension.
E) Do not speak Portuguese during your presentation. Remember that your teacher is paying attention to it.
F) If you have doubts (during the presentation), you can take a look at your draft or ask for help.
G) Attention to your pronunciation and grammar usage.
H) You can count on your teacher’s help. But bring your draft until one week before the presentation.
I) Visual aids can also help you!
J) Never repeat a theme. Don’t be lazy!
K) The most important thing: relax and act naturally!
Suggestion of Speech themes (4A)
Films
Soap operas
The origin of Internet
Euthanasia
Healthy food
Countries - English as an official language
Countries - English as a second language
Culture
Religion(s)
Environment
Hormones
A topic from History studies
Bestsellers - why a book becomes a best seller
The importance of sound tracks
TV Series
(Famous) Person’s biography
Extra Terrestrial (E.T.)
Vampires
Kissing X dating
The media’s advances
The development of technology
How to mend a broken heart
Horoscope
Science
The power of cartoons
How to improve your self-esteem
Violence
1st and/or 2nd World Wars
A career
Means of communication
Global Warming
Special dates
The problems of surgery
Barriers of knowledge
The new American president
P.S.: If you want, you can create themes, but tell me before.
*Others:
The difference
*** Dates:
10/23/2009 (Friday)
10/24/2009 (Saturday)
** If you have more suggestions, tell me during the class.
** Recommendations:
A) When choosing a theme, you must be creative. It’s a criterion of evaluation.
B) You must never read! It’s spontaneous, but you can study and/or memorize it at home!
C) Respect your classmates’ presentation. Do not talk or laugh during it.
D) Make up (at least) 3 questions to check the students’ comprehension.
E) Do not speak Portuguese during your presentation. Remember that your teacher is paying attention to it.
F) If you have doubts (during the presentation), you can take a look at your draft or ask for help.
G) Attention to your pronunciation and grammar usage.
H) You can count on your teacher’s help. But bring your draft until one week before the presentation.
I) Visual aids can also help you!
J) Never repeat a theme. Don’t be lazy!
K) The most important thing: relax and act naturally!
4A - Passive Voice
Grammar topic: PASSIVE VOICE -----(4A) ----
When can we use the Passive Voice?
** Sometimes the passive voice is the best choice. Here are some examples:
A) To emphasize an object.
E.g.: 60 votes are required to pass the bill.
It emphasizes the number of votes required.
Although, the active form ("The bill requires 60 votes to pass.") would emphasize "the bill".
B) To emphasize an unknown subject.
E.g.: Her purse was stolen.
We don't know who stole her purse.
*** Let's work!!!***
Exercise 1
Make the sentences passive:
a) Anyone can plant a tree.
b) Shakespeare wrote "Romeo and Juliet".
c) Somebody is painting the door.
d) You might see dolphins here.
e) The waiter brought Fred a big steak.
f) Ann has not sent me a text message.
g) The teacher told us a joke.
h) Have you seen your older sister recently?
See you! :)
When can we use the Passive Voice?
** Sometimes the passive voice is the best choice. Here are some examples:
A) To emphasize an object.
E.g.: 60 votes are required to pass the bill.
It emphasizes the number of votes required.
Although, the active form ("The bill requires 60 votes to pass.") would emphasize "the bill".
B) To emphasize an unknown subject.
E.g.: Her purse was stolen.
We don't know who stole her purse.
*** Let's work!!!***
Exercise 1
Make the sentences passive:
a) Anyone can plant a tree.
b) Shakespeare wrote "Romeo and Juliet".
c) Somebody is painting the door.
d) You might see dolphins here.
e) The waiter brought Fred a big steak.
f) Ann has not sent me a text message.
g) The teacher told us a joke.
h) Have you seen your older sister recently?
See you! :)
4A - Future
Grammar topic: FUTURE ---------4A--------
Study the following examples:
"I'll repair my bicycle tomorrow."
(WILL = simple future)
** We use "will" when we decide to do sth at the time of speaking. The speaker has not decided before.
"I'm going to repair my bicycle tomorrow."
(TO BE GOING TO = immediate future)
** We use "going to" when we have already decided to do sth.
SPECIAL NOTES:
-- WILL--
** We also use "will" when we want to talk about:
A) FUTURITY (simple future expression):
"Our teacher will be absent next week."
B) PREDICTION:
"We will probably have to wait for the next bus."
C) DECISION:
"Someone is knocking at the door. I'll get it!"
D) PROMISE:
"Don't worry. I'll help you revise your test."
E) REQUEST:
"Will you open the window, please?"
F) REFUSAL:
"Jessie won't shut up and let me speak."
-- GOING TO--
** We also use "going to" when we want to talk about:
A) PLANS, INTENTIONS:
" I'm going to buy a new computer."
B) PREDICTION BASED ON EVIDENCE:
" That driver has lost control of the car! He's going to crash!"
-*- Most of the times, "to be going to" can be replaced by " to intend to".
E.g.: I intend to buy a new computer.
*From: Books: English Grammar in use (Cambridge University);
Insight (Richmond).
Study the following examples:
"I'll repair my bicycle tomorrow."
(WILL = simple future)
** We use "will" when we decide to do sth at the time of speaking. The speaker has not decided before.
"I'm going to repair my bicycle tomorrow."
(TO BE GOING TO = immediate future)
** We use "going to" when we have already decided to do sth.
SPECIAL NOTES:
-- WILL--
** We also use "will" when we want to talk about:
A) FUTURITY (simple future expression):
"Our teacher will be absent next week."
B) PREDICTION:
"We will probably have to wait for the next bus."
C) DECISION:
"Someone is knocking at the door. I'll get it!"
D) PROMISE:
"Don't worry. I'll help you revise your test."
E) REQUEST:
"Will you open the window, please?"
F) REFUSAL:
"Jessie won't shut up and let me speak."
-- GOING TO--
** We also use "going to" when we want to talk about:
A) PLANS, INTENTIONS:
" I'm going to buy a new computer."
B) PREDICTION BASED ON EVIDENCE:
" That driver has lost control of the car! He's going to crash!"
-*- Most of the times, "to be going to" can be replaced by " to intend to".
E.g.: I intend to buy a new computer.
*From: Books: English Grammar in use (Cambridge University);
Insight (Richmond).
LD 1
Let's read!
*** The 8O's***
*** The 8O's***
80's Heavy Metal Music
In the mid to late 80's Heavy Metal became the popular music genre. Artists such as Van Halen, Poison, Motley Crue, Cinderella, Quiet Riot and Guns and Roses got extensive 1980's radio airplay. "Hair Metal Bands", as they are affectionately called, scored top charting hits with the "power ballad" song formula. Nothing represents the decadence of the 80s more than the heavy metal bands signed from the LA Strip during that time. The song lyrics mostly embodied the "Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll" mentality of the 80's.
80's Movies
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas produced one blockbuster film after another in the 80's. Speilberg contributed Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and the Back to the Future (1985) trilogy. Lucas' films included The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983).
The 80's also became the decade of the movie sequel. Most films that were major box office hits were made into sequels. Examples are the Indiana Jones movies, the three Back to the Future films, the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street horror series and of course the Star Wars follow-up blockbusters.
Non-natural disasters
In 1984 the Bhopal disaster resulted from a toxic MIC gas leak at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India, killing 3,000 immediately and ultimately claiming 15,000-20,000 lives.
On Sept. 1, 1983, the Soviet shootdown of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 carrying 269 people including a sitting U.S. congressman, Larry McDonald.
Japan Air Lines Flight 123 carrying 524 people crashed on August 12, 1985 while on a flight from Tokyo to Osaka killing 520 of the people on board. This was the worst ever single-plane crash.
In 1986, the Challenger disaster, the NASA Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates after launch, killing all of the crew onboard. This is the first disaster involving the destruction of a NASA space shuttle. A faulty o-ring was the cause of the accident.
In 1986 the Chernobyl disaster, a large-scale nuclear meltdown in the Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union, spread a large amount of radioactive material across Europe, killing 47 people, dooming countless others to future radiation-related cancer, and causing the displacement of 300,000 people.
In 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Alaska. Although not among the largest oil spills, its remote and sensitive location made it one of the most devastating ecological disasters ever.
*From: 1) http://www.project80s.com/television/80s-television.php
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980s#Wars_and_Conflicts
5A (Conv./comp.)
***TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS***
General Considerations For An Effective Composition:
There is no single way to write an effective composition. Once you have chosen a topic to write on, your success will depend upon a number of considerations.
A) Your knowledge of the topic;
B) Your own personality, background, and sensitivity;
C) Your purpose and the worth behind the main ideas you wish to communicate;
D) Your ability to express yourself with clarity, accuracy, vigor, individuality, and originality.
Four Standards For A Successful Composition:
There are four standards according to which a composition may be termed successful.
1) Organization--Is the composition well planned and the thought developed so that the controlling idea is made clear?
2) Substance (worth)—Are the ideas original, logical, interesting, and convincing enough to hold the reader’s attention?
3) Style—Is the approach appropriate to the thought?
4) Mechanics—To what degree is the writer able to spell correctly, to punctuate, and to use acceptable standards of grammar?
Three Stages of Writing:
In general, the process of writing a composition divides itself into three stages.
1) Choosing a topic; gathering and sifting materials; planning the organization and development of the composition in the outline so that it has unity.
2) Writing the composition by following the outline.
3)Rereading and REVISING the composition to make it more expressive, vivid, and clear and to check for grammatical and rhetorical correctness.
* From: http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs/studyskills/CompGuide/goodcomp.htm
General Considerations For An Effective Composition:
There is no single way to write an effective composition. Once you have chosen a topic to write on, your success will depend upon a number of considerations.
A) Your knowledge of the topic;
B) Your own personality, background, and sensitivity;
C) Your purpose and the worth behind the main ideas you wish to communicate;
D) Your ability to express yourself with clarity, accuracy, vigor, individuality, and originality.
Four Standards For A Successful Composition:
There are four standards according to which a composition may be termed successful.
1) Organization--Is the composition well planned and the thought developed so that the controlling idea is made clear?
2) Substance (worth)—Are the ideas original, logical, interesting, and convincing enough to hold the reader’s attention?
3) Style—Is the approach appropriate to the thought?
4) Mechanics—To what degree is the writer able to spell correctly, to punctuate, and to use acceptable standards of grammar?
Three Stages of Writing:
In general, the process of writing a composition divides itself into three stages.
1) Choosing a topic; gathering and sifting materials; planning the organization and development of the composition in the outline so that it has unity.
2) Writing the composition by following the outline.
3)Rereading and REVISING the composition to make it more expressive, vivid, and clear and to check for grammatical and rhetorical correctness.
* From: http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs/studyskills/CompGuide/goodcomp.htm
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
